Not long ago, I noticed a person tweeting how self-checkout lines take jobs away from people. The tweets this person sent were an effort to try to get people to use a manned checkout line instead of the self-checkout in order to save jobs. I rolled my eyes in disbelief that this argument is still out there. It seems like such an 80’s think to worry about technology replacing jobs.
We know that technology has replaced jobs, but has also has created many technology driven jobs. Those self-checkout lines make just as many jobs, if not more, than they replace. Retailers save money by implementing a self-checkout system. It may even be the only thing keeping a store in business. If the store is not in business, where will the existing employees find jobs?
I should point out, this person also tweets regularly to encourage buying a newspaper to support a journalist. While I’m not one to support the idea of a starving journalist, I am not for supporting a dying industry that can’t control overhead and adjust to technology.
Look at the music industry. It took them forever to realize that CDs weren’t the future of music. Instead they sued their own customers and fought against digital music distribution. Newspapers and journalists whine about bloggers taking over as they fight to keep an old and outdated model alive. They too are suffering greatly.
Like it or not, if you fight against the new way to do something, you will suffer an ill fate. This has been clear over the past 30 years, but I suppose some people are just stuck in the past.
Nice post. However, a thing to consider about technology killing jobs is this: it will eventually kill more than it creates or supports. An example of this is the book and publishing industries. The introduction of “e-readers” will eventually make physical books obsolete. Large book retailers such as, Books A Million, Barnes And Noble and now deceased Boarders are not looking to optimistic for the long term. Significance? Tens of thousands of jobs gone forever. Technology in e-readers hurts authors who used to make a killing off hard backed covered books…
I disagree. E-readers have opened up an entirely new market for authors. Just look at Amanda Hocking. http://amandahocking.blogspot.com/ Plus people have to make and support the e-readers. People work in warehouses and have to pack and ship the devices. Marketers have to advertise. It all evens out in the end.
Your too young to know how we have had it. I never got to marry or have a home due to technology wiping out thousands of office jobs and other types of jobs. I graduated from h. school in 1982 when wood processors were just out! I have been in probably 30 jobs since age 20 and I am now 47. The main job I had for 12 years on and off is now totally automated as well. I used to live in a highrise wi th a pool and then i was h omless and on assistance the first time in my life! I was making 25 an hour in ottawa ontario until automation killed my lifelong career. I am too old to do retail they want younger people. To go back to school at 47 is pretty risky and in canada alot of minorities are hired before the white people born here who should get the jobs. I sent 2000 resumes at one point and spent 2 hours a day looking for work (not from a computer either) and all I found was a temp job at wages I made when I was 20 (11 an hour). So now Im out of work yet again!! I dont have the brain or inclination to be a high tech person. There are millions of women out there like me. What are we supose to do eat the grass??? I also went back to school 2 times and came top of my class but there is no work in health records management either as records depts are all being automated and only need 2-3 people to run them now! That is what Im suppose to be making 80000 a year in. Meantime my sister who was in IT has never been out of work- she is barely holding on in IT- she graduated in 1984 from C. Science…..they is also alot of outsourcing by our countries to india and china and that is to save money so rich people can get richer and put more people out of work. The last time I had a full-time job in my field was in 2008 and Im still looking………..
Oh forget to mention my best friend who has had to temp all her life in office work as she cant find a full-time job in canada. Then there is my boyfriend who works for the ottawa sun call centre selling newspapers- they are all about to fold due to the internet as people would rather read the paper online for free than have it dropped to their doors- except the only people keeping his job is old people in canada because they dont use the internet. Also all the journalist and reporters what the heck will happen to them?? Its very sad…….although I feel in some ways technology has been amazing, there should be an option if u want to go with it or not and if u dont- there should be c ities that still use typewriters and stay in the 1980s and dont change- I would move there in a heartbeat! Those times were alot happier too………………..God bless Mr. Jobbs may he rest in peace, a brillant man……….